As a general rule your tropical fish’ mouths should remain closed except for a few circumstances which are that they are eating, yawning/stretching or recovering after a fight or being chased. Apart from the chasing which does happen depending on the type of fish you keep the others are normal. If however you find your fish is constantly opening and closing its mouth then you need to address the problem as their mouths should stay closed. The primary cause of a tropical fish appearing to breath a lot is down to there not being enough oxygen in the water, they therefore have to use their mouths to suck in oxygen rather than take it in through their gills. This is far from ideal and although preventative methods can be put in place to overcome this, such as adding powerheads or air stones to create bubbles. Both methods will increase surface water movement which will increase the oxygen in the water however in the interests of there being a power cut this is not necessarily a safe option.

We have put together a brief guide on what you could do with your fish tank during a power cut so we won’t touch on that here. It is especially an issue if your fish are breathing a lot at the top of the surface, again, we have discussed what the cause of this may be in our guide to what to do if all your fish are at the surface of the water. This is an extreme case of lack of oxygen in the water though but the principal is the same. Ultimately your fish tank is overstocked too much if the fish are constantly breathing a lot in the water. So the best method and way round this is to reduce the number of fish in your aquarium by re-homing to another tank or another enthusiast. Most local fish stores are good enough to take fish back too if you have no other option. We would advise that you check how heavily stocked your tank is initially before purchasing more fish, take a look at our guide on fish tank stocking levels if you are not sure what this is. There is a chance this could be down to swim bladder disease so check out the other symptoms too so you can rule this out.

Most local fish stores are very knowledgeable and if you are unsure then ask before purchasing the fish as it can become costly taking the fish back as you’re unlikely to get your money back! If you are positive and 100% sure that the stocking levels are fine and the tank is well understocked and there is only one fish breathing heavily then observe the fish closer to see if there are any other symptoms such as skin abnormalities or other out of character behaviour and investigate these further.fish tank gumtree cardiffWhy do fish swim to the surface of the water?fish tank places near me Fish swim to the top of the water line in order to search for oxygen if the oxygen content in the water is too low. fish tank gumtree norfolk

If pet fish are doing this, it usually means that they are in distress and are not finding sufficient amounts of oxygen in their own environment. Why are my fish swimming at the top of the tank? Why do fish stay at the top of the tank? Why do goldfish swim at the bottom of the tank? One of the most common causes of this problem is related to dirty water within the fish tank, which is most commonly caused by overfeeding. marine fish tank basicsIf a dead fish is spotted in the tank, it should be removed immediately, as this can also cause water pollution issues. drop off fish tank for saleFinally, all filters, air stones and bubble wands should be inspected, as poor performance of these components can affect the entire filtration system.new fish tank hazy

Learn more about Aquatic Pets Why do goldfish blow bubbles? Goldfish fish only appear to be blowing bubbles as it opens its mouth to draw in water for oxygen absorption. Sometimes as the fish opens its mouth, air es... How can you tell if a fish is dying? There are common tell-tale signs to help in diagnosing if your fish is ill and they are as follows: clamped fins, frayed fins, bloating, enlargement of eye...huge used fish tanks for sale Why do goldfish swim upside down?used fish tanks for sale cumbria Goldfish swim upside down when they have swim bladder disease. used fish tanks north westGoldfish and other species of fish may also swim sideways or do not have the ability to swim...

Why would a fish swim frantically? A frantically swimming fish is likely experiencing significant stress. Other stress symptoms include hitting the bottom of the tank, locking its fins to it... What causes water to evaporate? What happens if you water a plant with saltwater? Why is the water important in Fe(s) + CuSO4 (aq) yielding Cu(s) + FeSO4 (aq)? What is the reaction between lithium and water? Why is Venice under water? Which Rheem water heater is the highest rated by consumers?404 (Page Not Found) Error If you're the site owner, one of two things happened: 1) You entered an incorrect URL into your browser's address bar, or 2) You haven't uploaded content. If you're a visitor and not sure what happened: 1) You entered or copied the URL incorrectly or 2) The link you used to get here is faulty. (It's an excellent idea to let the link owner know.) Originally uploaded by EcoSnake.Above is a healthy betta whose swim bladder you can see bumping out his side toward the back tail fin.

My betta can’t swim upright anymore. He has no other signs of illness. No fungus, color loss or lethargy. He is a little swollen around his abdomen though. I don’t see any pineconing. A: In a fish’s world, being unable to right ones self may be a sign of a swim bladder problem commonly referred to as “Swim Bladder Disorder”, “Swim Bladder Disease” or “SBD” for short. In simple terms, the swim bladder is a gas filled sac located in the betta’s body, posteriorly (toward the tail end). You can usually see it bump out slightly on most Bettas. The swim bladder works very similarly to a SCUBA diver’s BCD (buoyancy control device). When a diver wants to be more buoyant, he fills his vest with air and releases air when he wants to descend. In fish, it’s a little more complicated but you get the basic idea. SBD is probably caused by overfeeding most often in Bettas. Feeding too much food or foods with a very low moisture content (Betta pellets) may cause pressure in the abdomen cutting off a Betta’s ability to regulate the gasses in the swim bladder.

This becomes apparent when the fish can no longer swim upright in the water. The excess food in the stomach may also show itself in the form of bloating around the abdomen like you described. Usually, the easiest fix for this is to fast your Betta for a couple of days until the food passes and the fish is able to regulate the swim bladder again. Once he is back to normal, closely monitor his feedings, making sure only to feed a few pellets a couple times a day. It’s also recommended when feeding dry foods that you soak them in a cup full of tank water for about 10 minutes prior to feeding to allow them to swell to their true size before entering the Betta’s digestive track. Some Bettas are prone to bloating and constipation and may benefit from a diet of mostly live or frozen foods of which a variety are available commercially. A bacterial infection of the swim bladder may also cause the symptoms you described. If you don’t find that your Betta is back to normal after a day or two of fasting it may be necessary to treat your fish for the infection using a wide spectrum antibiotic available at most local fish stores.